Machine for compacting, pelletizing and/or briquetting

ABSTRACT

A compression pressure machine for compacting, pelletizing, or briquetting pulverant, fine grained or structurally voluminous products. The machine includes a frame supporting oppositely disposed lever cradles, these cradles in turn supporting two horizontally juxtaposed compacting rollers. The lever cradles are pivotally connected to the frame, and connecting rods are attached to the lever cradles for movement of the cradle and associated rolls. The connecting rods are operated by means of piston mechanisms associated with the machine frame with extension and retraction of the piston mechanisms serving to move the rolls toward and away from each other. The positions of the lever cradles and associated operating mechanisms provide highly efficient means for achieving the desired forces while also providing an arrangement which is extremely efficient from the standpoint of machine construction and maintenance.

United States Patent Liebert I 1 1 Nov. 5, 1974 1 i MACHINE FORCOMPACTING,

PELILETIZING AND/OR BRIQUETTING [76] Inventor: Horst Liebert,Reisbergstrasse 14, g 7101 Obcrgruppenbach, Germany [22] Filed: May 4,1973 121] App]. No.: 357,482

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data May 4. 1972 Germany 2221785 [52]U.S. Cl 100/155, 100/DIG. 6, 100/168, 100/176, 72/245, 425/237 [51] Int.Cl B301) 3/00, B301) 3/04 [58] Field of Search 100/155, 161-172,

100/DIG. 6, DIG. 7, DIG. 8, DIG. 9; 425/237, 335, 363; 72/234, 245

[56] References Cited Primary Examiner-Peter Feldman Attorney, Agent, orFirmMcDouga1l, Hersh & Scott [57] ABSTRACT A compression pressuremachine for compacting, pelletizing, or briquetting pulverant, finegrained or structurally voluminous products The machine includes a framesupporting oppositely disposed lever cradles, these cradles in turnsupporting two horizontally juxtaposed compacting rollers. The levercradles are pivotally connected to the frame, and connecting rods areattached to the lever cradles for movement of the cradle and associatedrolls. The connecting rods are operated by means of piston mechanismsassociated with the machine frame with extension and retraction of thepiston mechanisms serving to move the rolls toward and away from eachother. The positions of the lever cradles and associated operatingmechanisms provide highly efficient means for achieving the desiredforces while also providing an arrangement which is extremely efficientfrom the standpoint of machine construction and maintenance.

8 Claims, Drawing Figures L L \LJ/ l 1 l 'PAIENIEI] luv 5 1914 saw 10? 2MACHTNE FUR (IQMPACTTNG, PELLETKZING AND/R BlRlQUETTIlNG The inventionrelates to a compression-pressure machine for compacting, pelletizing orbriquetting pulverant, fine grained or structurally voluminous products.The construction generally comprises a machine frame and twohorizontally juxtaposed compacting rollers positioned in lever cradleswhich in turn are articulated pivotably at one end to the machine frame.Press-on devices for pressing both compacting rollers toward each otherand for thereby applying pressure to the material between the rolls aredirectly associated with the machine frame.

An essential principal component of each compression pressure machine isthe machine frame and/or the machine carriage in which two horizontallyoperating juxtaposed compacting rollers are positioned horizontally orbilaterally. The provision of the oppositely disposed rolls isparticularly called for in the case of compression pressure machines ofhigh capacity for industrial production. At least one compacting rolleris usually movably mounted in the pressing direction, so that the widthof the operating gap and/or the roller gap can be varied between bothrollers. This is done for reasons of safety, for example, so that incase of overload, one roller can move away in relation to the other one.In addition, the relative movement is desired to permit adjustment ofthe thickness of the pressed products discharged from the roller gap.

The compression means generating the pressing force acting in the rollergap bear down on the one hand at the machine frame, and on the otherhand at the operating rollers, particularly at the ends of their shafts.

Designs of machine frames according to the prior art are typically H, Uand rectangular frames, usually disposed in a horizontal arrangement.The pressureproducing members, particularly the pistons or piston rodsof hydraulic compression apparatuses, are fastened to the verticalmachine frame, either integrally formed parts or connected to itseparately, e.g., by means of bridge bolts arranged on the outside. Thepressure-producing members act inwardly in the direction of thehorizontal central plane passing through both longitudinal axes of therollers. Consequently, they must muster the entire pressing forcerequired and transfer it as reactive force of the same magnitude to theconnecting members or directly to the machine frame. Since the'frame isthus exposed .to these forces, the frame and the connecting andpressure-producing members must have high structural strength.

Replacement of the compacting rollers which frequently becomesnecessary, is carried out in the rectangular frames of typical machinesfrom the front, and this is most cumbersome. In the U- or l-l-shapedmachine frame, first the vertical bridge bolts including allpressure-producing members always must be dismounted, so that thecompacting rollers can be pulled out laterally, that is in transversedirection. The bearing jaws are removed transversely of the compactingrollers.

Compression pressure machines are known whose compact rollers arepositioned in lever cradles. The centers of gravity of the latter arelocated below the points of attack of the pressure-producing membersand/or the compression devices are located above the roller shafts. Sucharrangements result in a diminished lever effect and consequently areduction of the traction or pressure energy to be mustered for thepressing force of the compacting rollers results. Because thepressure-producing members of the compression devices in the compressionpressure machines of the prior art always act from the outside towardthe inside on the lever cradles, additional supporting and fastening arenecessary, which results in increased construction costs and spacerequirements.

Another disadvantage of all hydraulically supported or pressed-oncompression pressure machines of the prior art resides in the fact that,under the product pressure, the roller gap varies between the compactingrollers. Thus, the rollers move in the pressing direction, in relationto the vertical central plane between both rollers, asymmetrically andin an undefined manner. In this respect it is immaterial whether bothcompacting rollers or only one is provided with a pressureproducingmember and/or a compression means. The gap variation leads to aconsiderably reduced sealing effect of the roller sealing members andthus to an increased build-up of dust around the equipment. Where bothcompacting rollers are movably positioned, axis parallelity can beaccomplished only at considerably hydraulic expense.

lt is a general object of this invention to provide an improvedapparatus for achieving the compacting, pelletizing and briquetting ofpulverant, fine-grained or structurally voluminous products.

It is a more specific object of this invention to provide a mechanism ofthe type described which can achieve the application of the desiredforces with a rel atively low energy input requirement.

It is a still further object of this invention to provide an arrangementof the type described which is relatively straightforward in designwhereby the construction can be economically manufactured, and wherebythe maintenace of the construction, particularly from the standpoint ofroll replacement, can be carried out on an efficient basis.

These and other objects of this invention will appear hereinafter, andfor purposes of illustration but not of limitation, specific embodimentsof the invention are shown in the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 11 is a schematic side elevation of a construction characterized bythe features of this invention;

FIG. 2 is a schematic side elevation of the construction illustratedwith the compacting rolls in the open position; and,

FIG. 3 is a schematic side elevation of the construction illustratingthe position assumed by the machine elements during disassembly.

Generally, this invention is directed to the problem of obviating theaforementioned disadvantages of the compression pressing machines ofprior art and to create in addition an embodiment for which themanufacturing and production costs are simplified and reduced. Moreover,the invention provides operating characteristics which are improvedunder changing loads.

For the solution of this problem, the invention provides in acompression pressure machine a machine frame and two horizontallyjuxtaposed compacting rollers. These rollers are supported in levercradles which in turn are articulated pivotably at one end to the machine frame. Devices for pressing the compacting rollers against eachother are associated with the machine frame and are connected to thecompacting rollers through the lever cradles. The pressing devices arepositioned to direct the pressing force in the vertical central axisbetween the ends of the shafts of the compacting rollers by means of anupwardly movable pressure rod. The force is directed laterally anddownwardly by means of inclined traction bars connected to the levercradles. These bars are pivotally articulated at one end to the upperend of the pressure bar and at their opposite end to a cradle.

The sides of the machine frame preferably have the shape of an invertedT. It is then'preferable to design each compression device as ahydraulic or hydraulicpneumatic piston-cylinder unit, with the cylinderof each press-on device being placed in or at the vertical beam of eachT-shaped lateral part of the machine frame, or comprising an integralpart of the vertical beam. When using hydraulic-pneumatic pistoncylinderunits, it is expedient to provide two separate operating circuits forthe operating medium, one of them containing a hydraulic fluid, theother one, air. The pneumatic circuit may then be so designed that itbecomes effective only as an overload safety device.

tion bars are suspended at their outer end in open,

claw-like slots of the pivotable lever cradles. For that purpose, thetraction bars may be designed at their outer ends as load hooks by whichthey can be suspended in the lever cradles. They also may be providedwith transverse pins extending parallel with the roller shafts, by meansof which an engagement into corresponding slots or perforations at thelever cradles can be accomplished, or by any other suitable means whichpermits rapid disassembly.

The lever cradles in turn are so designed that following the looseningof the connection with the traction bars they can be pivoted outwardlyinto a horizontal position. In addition, the design of the bearings ofthe compacting rollers in such that the disassembly of the compactingrollers in an upward direction is possible once the lever cradles havebeen pivoted into the horizontal position. This offers the advantagethat the usually heavy rollers can be lifted upwardly out of the levercradles with the aid of cranes or the like.

The compression pressure machine according to the invention offers theadvantage that a considerable reduction of energy input is possible forgenerating the forces for the compacting roller compression, so that thepressure-producing components can be less massive when compared withconventional machine design. Moreover, variations in the roller gap isachieved in a strictly axis-symmetrical manner. Axis parallelity for thecompacting rollers is made possible with simple hydraulic means. Achange of the compacting rollers with the hinged-off cradles can beaccomplished by simply unhooking the traction bars from the cradles.

The arrangement avoids the necessity of machining the surfaces of manyparts which must be done in a very precise manner and by the applicationof drilling and 'lathing or turning operations. Manufacturing costs arethus reduced considerably.

The principal components of the compression pressure machine accordingto the invention are a machine frame ll shaped like an inverted T. Avertical beam 2 forming a hydraulic cylinder comprises part of thisframe. Two compacting rollers 5 mounted horizontally and in parallelwith each other, are positioned, respec tively, in cradle levers 4.These levers are articulated at their lower ends to the horizontal partof the machine frame l by means of bearings 3. A piston with a pressurebar 9 is guided horizontally in the vertically disposed hydrauliccylinder.

Traction bars 6 are articulated in each ease-at their upper ends inbearings 7, these bars being slightly tilted downwardly as shown in FIG.2. Each bar is suspended at its other free end in jaw-like slots 8 atthe upper ends of the cradle levers 4. This positioning in the slots islocated above the compacting rollers 5 and outside their longitudinalaxes. The two traction bars or traction anchors 6 of equal lengthcombine to form a bendable traction anchor.

The distance of both open jaw-like slots 8 in relation to each other isreduced by extension of the piston bar 9 in the direction of the arrowit). This extension of the bar which is connected to both traction bars6 in an articulated manner, causes the compacting rollers 5 to movetogether due to the pressure resulting from the lever effect imparted bylevers 4 as the levers pivot about bearings 3. Conversely, this distanceis increased by retracting the piston bar 9 in the direction of thearrow 11, which positively increases the roller gap.

The compression apparatus represented in FIGS. 1 and 2 is preferablyprovided on both sides of the rollers in the case of larger compressionpressure machines.

FIG. 3 illustrates the compression pressure machine in the open orpartially disassembled condition. As shown, both lever cradles 4 arepivotable horizontally toward the outside after the ends of the tractionbars 6 are unhooked from slots 8. The compacting rollers 5 are shownseparated from the supporting bearings provided in the lever cradles 4.Bearing bowls 12 can be easily separated from the lever cradles in orderto lift the compacting rollers 5 upwardly after they have beendisengagedfrom their drive shafts. The drive mechanisms for compacting rollers 5as well as other known portions of the construction may be of anyconventional type.

It will be appreciated that the construction described herein is of arelatively straightforward design in that the machine frame portionswhich are located on opposite sides of the machine are uncomplicated indesign. The use of these machine frame portions for supporting the levercradles provides an efficient arrangement from the standpoint ofsimplified machine design while also providing an ideal structure from aforce transmission standpoint. Similarly, the use of the vertical beam 2as the cylinder or as a housing for the cylinder provides an efficientarrangement from both a design and operating standpoint. The connectionof the piston 9 to the connecting rods 6 is a simple design arrangementas is the connection of the opposite ends of these rods with the levercradles. The efficiency of force transmission achieved is, however, ofprimary importance. Finally, all of these arrangements provide astructure which greatly simplifies the changing of rolls and othermaintenance operations.

It will be understood that various changes and modifications may be madein the above described invention which provide the characteristics ofthe invention without departing from the spirit thereof particularly asdefined in the following claims.

That which is claimed is:

l. A compression pressure machine for compacting, pelletizing andbriquetting pulverant, fine-grained or structurally voluminous products,comprising a machine frame, lever cradles articulated pivotably at oneend thereof to the machine frame, a pair of horizontally juxtaposedcompacting rollers supported by said lever cradles, and a compressiondevice including means for transmitting force along a vertical centralaxis located between the ends of the shafts of the compacting rollers,means for reciprocally operating said force transmitting means, a pairof traction bars pivotally connected to the opposite ends of the levercradles, said force transmitting means being connected to said tractionbars whereby application of said force pivots said lever cradles andthereby determines the gap between said compacting rollers and thepressure applied by the rollers.

2. A compression pressure machine according to claim 1, wherein themachine frame comprises a pair of oppositely disposed side membershaving the shape of an inverted T.

3. A compression pressure machine according to claim 2 wherein saidcompression device comprises a piston-cylinder unit.

d. A compression pressure machine according to I claim 3 wherein thecylinder of the compression device is located in the vertical beam ofeach T-shaped machine frame member.

5. A compression pressure machine according to claim l wherein the endsof the traction bars are re movably supported in slots defined by saidlever cradles.

6. A compression pressure machine according to claim 5 wherein the endsof the traction bars define hooks readily disengageable from the levercradles.

7. A compression pressure machine according to claim 6 wherein the levercradles are pivotable outwardly into a horizontal position whendisengaged from the traction bars.

8. A compression pressure machine according to claim 7 including bearingmembers for the compacting rollers, said bearing members being mountedon the lever cradles and being movable upwardly away from the levercradles when the cradles are in the horizontal v position to therebypermit disassembly of the compacting rollers from the lever cradles.

1. A compression pressure machine for compacting, pelletizing andbriquetting pulverant, fine-grained or structurally voluminous products,comprising a machine frame, lever cradles articulated pivotably at oneend thereof to the machine frame, a pair of horizontally juxtaposedcompacting rollers supported by said lever cradles, and a compressiondevice including means for transmitting force along a vertical centralaxis located between the ends of the shafts of the compacting rollers,means for reciprocally operating said force transmitting means, a pairof traction bars pivotally connected to the opposite ends of the levercradles, said force transmitting means being connected to said tractionbars whereby application of said force pivots said lever cradles andthereby determines the gap between said compacting rollers and thepressure applied by the rollers.
 2. A compression pressure machineaccording to claim 1, wherein the machine frame comprises a pair ofoppositely disposed side members having the shape of an inverted T.
 3. Acompression pressure machine according to claim 2 wherein saidcompression device comprises a piston-cylinder unit.
 4. A compressionpressure machine according to claim 3 wherein the cylinder of thecompression device is located in the vertical beam of each T-shapedmachine frame member.
 5. A compression pressure machine according toclaim 1 wherein the ends of the traction bars are removably supported inslots defined by said lever cradles.
 6. A compression pressure machineaccording to claim 5 wherein the ends of the traction bars define hooksreadily disengageable from the lever cradles.
 7. A compression pressuremachine according to claim 6 wherein the lever cradles are pivotableoutwardly into a horizontal position when disengaged from the tractionbars.
 8. A compression pressure machine according to claim 7 includingbearing members for the compacting rollers, said bearing members beingmounted on the lever cradles and being movable upwardly away from thelever cradles when the cradles are in the horizontal position to therebypermit disassembly of the compacting rollers from the lever cradles.